Epiphany
by like-lions
Summary: "We have two more stops to make." On the journey to redemption (and back to Storybrooke), Rumplestiltskin and his trio of witches encounter an unexpected ally, and for the old spinner, a kindred spirit. Eventual Rumbelle.


A/N: It's been a while since I last wrote fic, but this week's episode of Once got me thinking about possibilities for Rumplestiltskin's inevitable return to Storybrooke. This piece will introduce a new main character, whose non-real world identity will be kept under wraps for a while. Not sure how many chapters this will realistically end up being, but I'm not a huge fan of 10+ chapter stories, so I'm guessing no more than 10. Enjoy, and review for more!

**Epiphany: Chapter One**

"_We have two more stops to make."_

"Rumplestiltskin! Are you listening to me?" Ursula called out, jogging down a busy New York City sidewalk to catch up to the worn imp. "Where in the world are we going? I told you, Cruella and Maleficent are staying together in uptown. Why are we on the Lower East Side?"

Rumplestiltskin's shoulders tensed. Since they began their journey—walking, of course, as neither had enough cash for subway passes—Ursula had been nagging him about their destination. _"Where are we going?" "Why is it taking so long?" "Why can't they meet us?"_

"I told you," he said with a groan. "When we get there I'll let you know. The two other witches are just dead weight to carry for the trip. We're going to find the most important part of our plan."

Ursula scoffed._ Our plan_. He hadn't even let her in on the big plan that he was supposed to be creating. All she knew was that one minute he interrupted her workday, and now she was walking down a crowded New York street with a damp wetsuit under her clothes.

"You know, I don't think that you even have a plan. You're dragging me along for a 'quest' that doesn't exist," she said, her voice shaking from a lack of endurance. "If you're hoping that I'll take pity on the sad old man who sold his cufflinks for a bus pass, you are sorely mistaken."

He abruptly stopped in his tracks. Ursula, following behind, nearly crashed into him. "What in the world? You can't be that sensitive. Where is your sense of witty rapport, your thick skin and _joie de vivre_?"

"We're here," he said, looking up at the expansive architecture of the building. This was it, he was certain.

Ursula looked up at the sign. "The Lady of Magdelena School for Girls. What the hell are we doing at a Catholic school?"

"What time is it?" Rumplestiltskin asked, looking around for a clocktower. He sold his watch along with his cufflinks to pay for a place to sleep for several days back in Buffalo.

Ursula begrudgingly checked her own watch. "Two minutes to 3. Listen Rumplestiltskin, if this was just a sad attempt at having a 'friend' or something for a couple of hours, fine. Just stop wasting my time with this nonsense."

The man ignored her, holding up his fingers and counting down the seconds. Three…two…one…The school bell rang and a flurry of young girls came rushing out of the building doors.

"Oh great," Ursula said, her voice in a stiff monotone. "Children, just what we needed."

Rumplestiltskin ignored her, waiting for a couple of minutes for the stream of girls to trickle down until just one girl walked out. With blonde hair covering her oversized brown eyes, and a much-too-large cardigan over her school uniform, he had found his target.

Ursula noticed his eyeline. "Are you serious? Is this bring your daughter to work day or something?"

The girl lifted her head at the sound of Ursula's voice. "Well, well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in." Her posture immediately stiffened, moving from a slouch to a confident stance. She hopped down the concrete stairs, throwing her pink backpack over here shoulder.

"If it isn't Rumplestiltskin," the girl said, looking up at the duo when she reached the bottom of the stair. She was smaller than she originally appeared, looking no older than 5. "I never thought you'd show your face around these parts again."

The man scratched the back of his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't I decide that I want to meet up with an old friend?"

The girl laughed, her smile missing a front tooth. "Certainly. If you had any friends. You look like human garbage, Rumple, what are you doing here?"

Ursula spoke up in his place, stepping ahead slightly and placing herself more directly in the girl's eyeline. "We're here to find someone that can help us. We're looking for someone."

"Of course you need help," the girl said, pulling her hair away from her face with a headband. "I would expect nothing less from the waifish spinner and an overgrown fish."

"Dio—" Rumplestiltskin said, being cut off almost immediately.

"It's Desiree here. I don't know how you two like to go about your 'human' lives, but I'd rather not have to switch schools and homes again because someone finds out who I am. Who I used to be," she said matter-of-factly.

"Used to be," the man said, his voice tinged with confusion and disappointment. "Do you not still have your…"

"My powers? Of course I do," Desiree said with certainty. The girl crossed her arms. "But what makes you think I would help you? Especially after the last time."

Ursula looked over at Rumplestiltskin, eager to hear about the last meeting between the tiny girl and the equally tiny man.

"I have something you want," he said.

"What can The Dark One do for me in the World Without Magic? Spin me a bale of straw?"

"If you can get me back to Storybrooke, I can make you normal," he said, bending his knee to get closer to her. He stumbled a bit on his way down, his bum foot still causing him trouble.

"We're far beyond normal, Rumplestiltskin," Desiree replied, unimpressed.

"I can make you appear normal on the outside. Your human form. You're stuck at this age forever, right?"

Desiree froze, her eyes intrigued. "I'm cursed. You can reverse it?"

"Yes—"

"For a price," Ursula said, speaking up.

Desiree rolled her eyes, contemplating the deal at hand. She sighed. "What do you want?"

Rumplestiltskin perked up at her apparent willingness to trade. "We're looking for someone who goes by the name 'The Author.' We need to find him to change our happy endings."

"Or lack thereof," Ursula said with a sigh.

Desiree chuckled. "Oh Rumplestiltskin, don't you know that villains never win?"

The man tensed up. "So I've heard. However, we believe that the man we're looking for can help us. All we need to do is find him."

The girl nodded her head, understanding. "And Storybrooke, what about that?"

Rumplestiltskin stood taller, more confident than he had in weeks. "I know that is where The Author is. We just need your help to get there and to find him."

Desiree stood in silence for several seconds, pondering the quest at hand. "Okay. I'll help you."

Rumplestiltskin and Ursula both smiled at this decision, but their excitement was short-lived. "But Rumple," the child said, her eyes darkened. "If you cross me this time, I will make sure that everything that you love in this world is incinerated right before your eyes."

"That shouldn't be a problem," he replied, a smile still plastered on his face, but his eyes empty and nearly as dark as the girl's.


End file.
